Beyond Business as Usual: AUB CSR Conference

"The Suliman S. Olayan School of Business (OSB) at the American University of Beirut is proud to announce the first CSR Practitioner’s Conference at AUB on May 4 & 5, 2012. The conference is intended as a platform for regional business leaders to address the emerging challenges and opportunities presented by the ascendancy of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). Through the gathering of renowned speakers, panels and interactive discussion forums, the conference will offer a regional platform for practitioners to network and exchange best practices in relation to effective sustainability and CSR management.”

Ms. Nadine Okla, Tomorrow’s Youth Organization Lebanon (TYO-L) Program Manager, was invited to present on the panel entitled Social Enterprise and Responsible Business Model. After a short 10-minute presentation on the work of TYO-Lebanon and specifically the role of corporate partners in the WEL project, the floor was opened to the audience of approx.150 people for an hour-long Q&A session.  Questions focused on the challenges Civil Society in Lebanon faces with regard to funding and other resource opportunities in the private sector, with an eye toward sustainability.

Nadine participated on the panel with Women Entrepreneurs in Lebanon (WEL) Steering Committee Member, Mr. Kamal Mouzawak of Souk el Tayeb, as well as Ms. Sarah Beydoun , founder of Sarah’s Bags, Mr. Ziad Abi Chaker, founder of Cedar Environmental, Ms. Benedicte de Blavnus, founder of 2B Design, and Mr. David Haskell, founder of Dreams Indeed.

TYO-L and TYO were honored to be among the notable international and regional speakers that all offered insight into ways to improve the cooperation between civil society and the private sector.

Learn more about panelists, participants and the conference agenda on the AUB blog.